“Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead….”  (NKJV)

I don’t know if you’re like me, but when I read my Bible and come across various names or titles for God and his Son Jesus, my mind naturally wonders, “Why did the Spirit choose this name or that title?”  This happens most frequently when I find one that seems like it doesn’t fit the context.  Like today’s title.  Having studied the Bible for over 30 years, I know better than to think, “Well, that just doesn’t fit.”  No, it’s not that it doesn’t fit, it’s that I haven’t figured out how.  That’s when deeper digging pays off.

Our text is 2 Timothy 2:8 and the description of Jesus is that he is “of the seed of David”.  Naturally, if he is of the seed of David, he also is the seed of David himself, seed meaning descendant.  This description, along with the other four times it appears in Scripture (1 Kings 11:39, Jeremiah 33:22, John 7:42 and Romans 1:3) all mean David’s descendants, and all three New Testament uses describe Christ.

2 Timothy is the last epistle Paul wrote before being executed, and he knew it would be.  Thus, what he wrote there was of utmost importance in his mind.  He finished off chapter one by contrasting the faithlessness of Phygelus and Hermogenes to the faithful Onesiphorus. He begins chapter two by encouraging Timothy to “be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus” because the plan is to pass on “to reliable men” the things he taught so that they will also be “qualified to teach others” (v. 2).  But in a spiritually antagonistic world full of blinded people and hostile demonic forces, this plan won’t materialize without a fight, one that Paul constantly experienced firsthand in both physical and spiritual realms.

That is why he moves to the soldier theme in verses three and four: “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs—he wants to please his commanding officer”.  No gray areas with a military mindset.  It’s all about what the CO wants.  But then, without changing the point he switches metaphors: “Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules” (v. 5).  So he links the battles that soldiers face to the competition of the athlete.  The point?  Stay tuned until he’s done.

Verse six stacks another metaphor on the previous two: “The hardworking farmer should be the first to receive the share of the crops”.  Okay, so the hard work the farmer does compares to the athlete’s competition and the soldier’s battles.  But what about the benefits of the harvest? Ah, that’s where Paul wants us to “reflect on what [he is] saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this” (v. 7).  This last metaphor sets up what’s coming: “Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David.  This is my gospel…” (v. 8).  That’s the NIV.  The NKJV has it, “”Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel”.  I seriously doubt the NIV translators meant that Paul’s gospel is that Jesus was descended from David, but that’s how they phrased it.  No, the gospel is that Jesus rose again.  And anyone remotely familiar with the Bible or Christianity or church knows that Jesus went through the most epic battle imaginable on the cross for the souls of humanity before he rose.

Paul then shares his own battle (vs. 9-10): “for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal.  But God’s word is not chained.  Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they too may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory”.  Here is Paul’s driving point: since this life is a battle or struggle — soldier, athlete, farmer — endurance is the key to success.  That’s what Jesus did.  Paul, too, all throughout his life.  Not surprising from a guy who, after enduring so long, was counting the few days left before he would see eternal glory for himself.  In this context, then, seed of David links to being planted (death), which lead to the resurrection (harvest), stated in the farmer metaphor.  It also links to the fact that Jesus was a real person who lived a real life in a real body that really died, enduring the cross (Hebrews 12:3) and then really rose.

Paul concluded the chapter with one of his “faithful sayings”, short summaries that some historians believe were put to music for memory purposes.  Read it for yourself (2:11-13).  And then ask yourself, “Do I endure my struggles, like Jesus and Paul, that the elect may obtain their salvation?”